This invention relates to polymeric materials. In another aspect, this invention relates to novel stable, emulsions formed with terpolymers of ethylene, a styrenic monomer and an alkyl vinyl monomer. In still another aspect, this invention relates to the novel emulsions of particles of terpolymer which impart improved characteristics when blended in conventional polish formulations.
Polyethylene emulsions which are conventionally used in coatings, lacquers, paints and polishes can be produced by emulsion polymerization techniques such as set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,226,352 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,244,652. Generally, polyethylene emulsions will dry at room temperature to form films which have poor gloss, flexibility and crack resistance and can be easily removed from a substrate to which they are applied by mechanical force. Therefore, such polyethylene latexes are admixed with other materials including resins, leveling agents, plasticizers and fluxes when used in polishes and the like. However, many conventional polyethylene emulsions have not been utilized in as wide a variety of applications as desired because of incompatibility problems which exist when they are admixed with certain standard formulations of paints, polishes and the like causing precipitation of the solids and other instability problems. Therefore, there is a continuing need for polymeric emulsions comprising ethylene which are extremely stable and compatible with various types of latexes and other formulations which are utilized in coating compositions such as paints and polishes.